figure



Sept. 24, 1963 E. P. AGHNIDEs 3,104,828

FLUID MIXING DEVICE Filed Aug. 2, 1956 Elie P. Aghnides 67' BY 077m ATTORNEYS United States Patent O M 3,104,828 FLUlD MIXING DEVICE Elie l. Aglinides, 46 W. 54th St., New Yorlt, NSY. Filed Aug. 2, 1956, Ser. No. 601,712 6 Claims. (Cl. 239-431) The present invention relates to improved fluid mixing devices, for instance of the type which may be employed in aerating liquids,- and is particularly concerned with improved such structures which include a single easily removable and cleanable unit within a casing. The present application comprises a continuation-in-part of my prior copending applications Serial No. 135,645, led December 29, 1949, for Fluid Mixing Device, now U.S. Patent No. 2,811,340 issued October 29, 1957; and Serial No. 424,981, filed April 22, 1954, for Fluid Mixing Device.

Various structures have been suggested in the past for intimately mixing two or more fluids of which at least one of the fluids is under pressure, and a typical such structure is shown in my U.S. Patent No. 2,210,846, granted August 6, 1940, for Fluid Mixing Device. Such fluid mixing devices ordinarily comprise a casing adapted to be connected to a source of fluid (for example water) under pressure, and the said casing ordinarily includes a cham ber through which the fluid may flow. The casing is also ordinarily provided with openings which lead into the aforementioned chamber for the introduction of one or more other fluids, for example air or gases, which are either entrained into the said chamber due to flow of liquid or fluid therethrough, or which reach the charnber under their own power. Means are also provided in the path of the first-named fluid for finely breaking up the said first-named fluid and for offering sufficient resistance for mixing it with the other fluid or fluids.

Typical fluid mixing or aerating structures of the type described ordinarily include a plurality of screens and/ or diaphragms spaced from one another and located within the aforementioned casing at desired locations with respect to the several fluid inlets and outlets of the said casing for perform-ing the functions detailed above, and these several screens and/or diaphragms often take the form of individual parts which are supported within the casing. Upon occasion, it is desirable to clean these several parts, and as a result, the said parts are sometimes removed from the casing whereby one or more of the said parts may in fact become lost. The several parts Iwhich have been employed in the past further complicate the problems of removing and replacing these parts and require that special care and attention tbe given so as to assure that the several parts are correctly reassembled within the casing toV permit the overall structure to perform its aerating or fluid mixing function properly. lt will be appreciated from the foregoing discussion, therefore, that various aerating structures suggested heretofore are relatively complex in construction and often comprise a relatively large number of parts which must be assembled in a precise manner, and these parts may, upon occasion, become separated and lost, As a result, such prior aerating structures have not lent themselves readily to disassembly for cleaning purposes.

The present invention serves to obviate the foregoing dilculties and is particularly concerned with an improved fluid mixing device or aerator which includes an improved diaphragm structure which may be so fabricated and arranged with respect to the remainder of the aerator device that, through cooperation of two diaphragms with one another, or through cooperation of one or more of the said -diaphragms with the aerator body itself, a plurality of openings may be formed within an aerator casing. These openings may take the form of one or more orifices gdb-4,828 Patented Sept. 24, 1963 ICC at one level spaced from one or more orifices at another level, or they may take the form of one or more annular orifices disposed within the casing at different levels and serve to finely divide or spread a stream of liquid or fluid under pressure, thereby to permit that stream of liquid or fluid to be more thoroughly mixed with other fluids, such as gases. In accordance with a particular feature of the invention, the improved diaphragm arrangements take the form of a single easily removable and cleanable unit which, yby cooperation with a member or with the casing itself, forms a plurality of orifices at different parallel levels; the orifice or orifices at the upstream level being, preferably, out of alignment with the orifice or orifices at the downstream level, whereby an improved fluid mixing device or aerator in accordance with the present invention can be readily disassembled for cleaning purposes and can thereafter be assembled without the possibility of parts being lost and without the possibility of incomplete cleaning or improper assembly.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved fluid mixing device.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the provision of improved diaphragm arrangements for use in fluid mixing devices whereby the said diaphragm arrangements may take the form of an easily removable and cleanable unit. v

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a fluid mixing device or aerator having fewer parts than those suggested heretofore.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a fluid mixing device which may be more readily cleaned than other devices suggested heretofore and which reduces the possibility of incorrect assembly or loss of parts during and subsequent to such a cleaning operation.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provision of improved diaphragm structures for use in fluid mixing devices or aerators whereby the overall structure is less expensive to manufacture than others suggested heretofore.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art as this description proceeds.

In providing for the foregoing objects and advantages, the present invention contemplates the provision of an improved fluid mixing device or aerator comprising a casing having means at one end thereof for attaching the said casing to a source of fluid, such as water, under pressure. The casing further defines, downstream of the said fluid inlet end, a fluid outlet and one or more screen elements may be disposed adjacent the said fluid outlet. One or more air inlets are also provided in the casing and these air inlets serve to introduce air, or other fluids to be mixed with the aforementioned fluid under pressure, to a mixing region intermediate the inlet and outlet ends of the casing. This mixing region further includes, in accordance with the present invention, an improved diaphragm arrangement comprising a single easily removable and cleanable unit and in accordance with particular forms of the present invention, this -diaphragm arrangement may take the form of a substantially conical body which may have webs thereon, the said webbed conical body being so disposed in the mixing chamber of the aerator that it serves to break up the aforementioned fluid under pressure as it passes through the casing, thereby to permit an intimate intermixing of the said huid with other fluids, such as air, which may be introduced in the casing, whereby the overall structure effects an aerated fluid outlet. As will become apparent from the following description, the aforementioned `conical or webbed conical body comprising the improved diaphragms of the present arrangement, may

3 cooperate with the. aerator casing itself, or various parts of the said diaphragm structure may cooperate with one another, whereby desired apertures are produced for breaking up a stream of fluid passing through the casing thereby to permit the desired intermixing of that iuid with air.

The foregoing objects, advantages, construction and operation of the present invention will .become more readily apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of an improved fluid mixing device constructed in accordance with one form of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View of another form of fluid mixing device or aerator device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of still another embodiment of the present invention.

4 FIGURE 4A is a view taken on line A-A of FIGURE and FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of still another form of fluid mixing device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

In connection with the description of all of the forms of the invention, it is understood that the casing has threads or other means for connecting the same to a conventional domestic water faucet carrying water under pressure, although the invention is not limited to -use of water as one of the fluids to 'be mixed.

Referring now to FIGURE l, it will be seen that, in accordance with the present invention, a lluid mixing device .may comprise a casing 1t] threaded at one end 11 thereof whereby the said casing may be connected With a source of fluid, such as water, under pressure. One or more other fluids, such as air or other gases, may be conducted into the casing through lateral ducts such as ducts l2 and 13, either under their own pressure or through entrainment caused by the velocity of fluid owing through a chamber 14 within the casing 10. The casing also includes a conical body 15 (see FIGURES 1 and 2) having tapering grooves or holes 16 formed therein and the said conical Ibody 115 is threaded to the interior of casing 10 at locations 17. As will be apparent from the subsequent description, the grooves or holes 16 permit iluid flow from the source of pressure coupled to threads 11 to pass through casing 16 past the further fluid inlets 12 and 13 whereby a preliminary mixing of fluids may take place in the segmental chambers 14. In the particular arrangement shown in FIGURE 1, the conical lbody 1'5 is disposed closely adjacent to the interior of casing 10 and the said casing 10 includes on its interior surfaces a stepped shoulder 18 whereby the said conical ybody 15 cooperates with the interior of the casing 10 and particularly with the shoulder 18 thereof to provide an annular orifice of decreasing and thereafter of increasing diameter within casing 1G.

In the operation of the structure thus shown in FIG- URE l, fluid passes into casing 10 at the upstream end thereof and this uid thereafter passes through the grooves or apertures 16 in the tapered conical diaphragm body 15 alogene and then passes through the aforementioned annular ori- .v

flce ydefined by the outer surface of body 15 and the inner surface of casing 10i adjacent shoulder 18 to `the mixing chamber 14 whereby a mixing of fluids takes place. These mixed iluids are thereafter further broken up and mixed mixing device and the said rod `21 has a slot at the lower,-

anost portion thereof for insertion of a coin whereby the diaphragm body 15 may be screwed orfunscrewed within the casing 1G thereby to vary the dimensions of the annular orifice defined by the outer surface of 'body 15 and the inner surface of casing 1t) adjacent shoulder 1S. This particular vadjustable feature of the embodiment shown in 'FIGURE l thus permits varying degrees of fluid mixing or aeration to take place and also provides means for readilyrcompensating for changes 1in inlet pressure. In

addit ionV it will be noted that by completely unscrewing the present invention and using webbed conical bodies to Y effect the function of diaphragme utilized heretofore, is

illustrated in FIGURE 3. lIn this particular device, a circular row of four conical valves 3i) are biased in place with respectto Ka ring structure 31 located within casing E 32 by a spring 33. Casing 32 further includes a ring 34 disposed adjacent push rods 35 which are attached to the several conical valves 36 whereby, when the casing32 is rotated clockwise, the said ring 34 will push against rods 35 thereby to lift the webbed conical diaphragm structures or valves 3ft upward against the restraint-,0f spring '33. A central webbed conical body 36 is also provided and this body 36 is connected with arms 37 which run diametrically across casing 32. Thus, when the cas? ing 32 is being rotated counterclockwise or is being unscrewed, the spring 33 will depress valve bodies 3G thereby to seal the several orices 38 in ring 31; and at the same time, 'the central conical body 36 will move downward whereby iiuid under pressure will be admitted from the upstream end 39 of the overall arrangement and pass the Webs of the body 36 to the mixing chamber 40. In the particular arrangement of FIGURE 3, the second fluid inlet or lair inlet is disposed on a lower surface of the overall fluid mixing device whereby air or other fluids enter the structure at orifices 41, and the desired mixing of air or uids occurs in chamber 40. A rod having a head 42 is attached, as shown, to the central diaphragm structure 36 to prevent complete unscrewng of =the casing 32 during use of the device. In the par-` ticular position illustration in FIGURE 3, uid may pass through the central aperture of ring 31 adjacentvdiaphragm structure 36 but does not pass through the other apertures yassociated with the several diaphragm structures 30. When the casing 32 is rotated clockwise until the top of body 36 cornes into contact with the under surface 43 of ring 31, then fluid will pass through the peripheral perforations associated with bodies 30 but will not pass through the central perforation of the structure. In intermediate positions of the casing 32, liquid will flow through both theA central and peripheral apertures. This particular operation is described in detail in my aforementioned prior copending application Serial No. 135,645.

-It will be noted that in the embodiment of FIGURE 3,

the webbed conical body comprising `the improved diaphragms of the present invention again cooperate with other portions of .fthe aerator structure to provide a plurality of apertures for breaking up fluid passing through the aerating device, and while the arrangement of FIG- URE 1 effects such cooperation between the webbed conical body and the casing itself, the arrangement of FIGURE 3 effects the desired cooperation between one or more webbed conical bodies and a ring disposed within 'the casing. .v g

FIGURE 4 illustrates lanother embodiment of the invention operating essentially in the manner described in reference to FIGURE 3, and this particular embodiment is somewhat simpler than that already described in reference to FIGURE 3. In the arrangement of FIGURE 4, a casing 50 may, as before, include internal threads 51 whereby the upstream end of the said casing may be attached to a source of fluid under pressure (for example a domestic water faucet) and the said casing 50 supports a ring-like structure 52 on the interior of the casing 50. Ring 52 includes a bore 53 on the lower surface thereof adapted to receive a webbed conical body 54 (see FIG- URE 4A) and the lowermost portion of the said conical body 54 includes an elongated projection 55 which serves to support screens 56. As was the case in fthe arrangement of FIGURE 3, the casing further includes a plurality of air inlets 57 adjacent the downstream end thereof whereby air may pass through apertures 57 into a mixing chamber 58, and the overall structure comprising conical body 54 and screens 56 is retained within the casing by a collar 59 which is screwed into the lowermost portion of the casing.

In the operation of the particular aerator shown in FIGURE 4, water under pressure which is admitted to the casing at the upstream end thereof passes via an annular oriiice 60 in ring 52 and the water is thereafter broken up as it passes through a plurality of longitudinal orifices of decreasing cross-section formed by webs 54a on the webbed conical body 54. The relatively high Velocity streamlets of water so resulting thereafter pass to an enlarged mixing chamber 58 where they 4are intimately mixed with air or other iluids admitted at apertures 57 and the resulting aerated iiuid is thereafter still further broken up by screens 56 and passes from `the casing at the downstream end thereof via collar 59. It will be appreciated that by unscrewing collar 59, the body 54, together with screens 56, can be removed as a single unit and cleaned, and this single unit can thereafter be replaced Ireadily without the possibility of incorrect rev placement or loss of parts.

Still another arrangement similar to the structure already described in reference to FIGURE 1 is shown in FIGURE 5. In this particular arrangement, casing 60 again includes a plurality of internal threads 61 at the upstream end thereof for attachment to a source of fluid such as water under pressure andthe said casing 60 also includes a diaphragm structure comprising a substantially conical body 62 similar to the conical body already described in reference to FIGURES l and 2. In particular, conical body 62 again includes a plurality of apertures or grooves 63 for permitting the ow of fluid past conical body 62, and past the shoulder 64 on casing 60, whereby air or other iluids admitted to the interior of the casing via inlets 6-5 is intimately mixed with the high pressure fluid in mixing chamber 66. The mixed fluids are thereafter further broken up by screens 67 and issue from the lowermost portion of the casing at 68. The particular structure shown in FIGURE 5 is quite simple and is easily manufactured, and this structure moreover includes the other advantages already described in that the diaphragm structure comprises a single removable unit 62 thereby permitting ready `disassembly and cleaning of the overall device.

While I have described preferred embodiments of the present invention, many variations will be suggested to those skilled in the art, and therefore the foregoing description should be considered as merely illustrative and not limitative of my invention.

I claim to have invented:

1. In [an aerator, jet :forming means adapted at its upper end to be connected to a faucet and including two concentric members the inner one of which is easily removable from within the outer one; and the inner member having indents in its upper outer periphery to thereby provide a water passageway between the members; said members being spaced apart immediately below said passageway to thereby provide an annular chamber in 4communication with said passageway; the outer member extending downwardly and inwardly, intercepting the path of ow of the water passing through said passageway, to a position adjacent the inner member to provide at the lower end of said chamber van annular oriice of chamber for iinely breaking up the water from` said annular orifice and mixing it with air.

2. In an aerator as deined in claim 1, said mixing means including a part of said inner member which extends Ibelow said lannular oriiice.

3. In an -aerator as deined in claim 2, said mixing means also including a screen across the outlet of the mixing chamber.

4. In an aerator as deiined in claim 1, said last-named I means also including a screen across the outlet of the mixing chamber. l

5. In an aerator, jet forming means adapted at its upstream end to 4be connected to a faucet and including two concentric members the inner one of which is easily removable from within the outer one; said members deiining between them an annular chamber which terminates Kat its downstream end in an `annular orifice; at least one of sai-d members `deiining a passageway through which water from the faucet may enter said armular chamber; one of said members as it passes to a lower level than the passageway extending 4under said passageway and receiving thereby the direct impact of water passing through the passageway and then extending further to a position adjacent lthe other member to therebyrtorm said annular oritice; means defining a mixing chamber, at least a part of which mixing chamber is below said ,annular oriicelfor receiving water therefrom; said chamber having a side lwall which denes an air inlet therethrough for supplying air directly from the atmosphere to said mixing charnber; and means tor discharging the water from said mixing `chamber in the form of la coherent jet laden withl small bubbles including mixing means in the mixing chamber for receiving water from said annular oriiice and mixing it with air.

6. In an aerator as delined in claimv 5, said mixing means including a part of said inner vmember which extends below said annular orifice.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 578,948 `Schafstaett Mar. 16, 1897 \1,968,716 Smith July 31,1934 2,134,182 Goodrie Oct. 25, 1938 2,210,846 Aghnides Aug. 6, 1940 2,247,311 Rockwood June 24, 1941 2,269,901 Bletcher et al I an. 13, 1942 2,448,792 Fraser Sept. 7, 1948 2,510,395 AGood-rie lune 6, 1950 2,529,223 Moen Q. Nov. 7, 1950 2,564,060 Gettins Aug. 14, 1951 2,811,340 Aghnides Oct. 29, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 454,690 Canada Feb. 15, 1949 492,511 Belgium Dec. 3-1, 1949 1,000,443 France -..y Oct. 10, 1951Y 

1. IN AN AERATOR, JET FORMING MEANS ADAPTED AT ITS UPPER END TO BE CONNECTED TO A FAUCET AND INCLUDING TWO CONCENTRIC MEMBERS THE INNER ONE OF WHICH IS EASILY REMOVABLE FROM WITHIN THE OUTER ONE; AND THE INNER MEMBER HAVING INDENTS IN ITS UPPER OUTER PERIPHERY TO THEREBY PROVIDE A WATER PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN THE MEMBERS; SAID MEMBERS BEING SPACED APART IMMEDIATELY BELOW SAID PASSAGEWAY TO THEREBY PROVIDE AN ANNULAR CHAMBER IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PASSAGEWAY; THE OUTER MEMBER EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY, INTERCEPTING THE PATH OF FLOW OF THE WATER PASSING THROUGH SAID PASSAGEWAY, TO A POSITION ADJACENT THE INNER MEMBER TO PROVIDE AT THE LOWER END OF SAID CHAMBER AN ANNULAR ORIFICE OF SMALLER CROSS-SECTION THAN THAT OF SAID CHAMBER; MEANS DEFINING A MIXING CHAMBER BELOW SAID ANNULAR ORIFICE AND IN THE PATH OF FLOW OF WATER THEREFROM AND ALSO DEFINING AN AIR INLET PASSING DIRECTLY FROM THE ATMOSPHERIC AIR OUTSIDE THE AERATOR INTO SAID MIXING CHAMBER; AND MEANS FOR DISCHARGING THE WATER FROM SAID MIXING CHAMBER IN THE FORM OF A COHERENT JET LADEN WITH NUMEROUS SMALL BUBBLES INCLUDING MIXING MEANS IN SAID MIXING CHAMBER FOR FINELY BREAKING UP THE WATER FROM SAID ANNULAR ORIFICE AND MIXING IT WITH AIR. 